handsome, where they had been educated, what carriage her father kept, and what had been her mother’s maiden name?

Elizabeth felt all the impertinence of her questions but answered them very composedly. Lady Catherine then observed,

“Your father’s estate is entailed on Mr. Collins, I think. For your sake,” turning to Charlotte, “I am glad of it; but otherwise I see no occasion for entailing estates from the female line. It was not thought necessary in Sir Lewis de Bourgh’s family. Do you play and sing, Miss Bennet?”

“A little.”

“Oh! then — some time or other we shall be happy to hear you. Our instrument is a capital one, probably superior to — — You shall try it some day. Do your sisters play and sing?”